Next Gen Grower - Luke Loman

'Next Generation Grower' is our way of recognizing the future growers that will eventually be taking over in the agricultural community, currently working alongside their parents or other family members.

Meet Luke Loman!

Your name/farm name, area(s) you currently farm in (can be other areas you have previously farmed in too) and number of years you have been farming.
My name is Luke Loman and my family owns Loman Farms.  We farm in the Picture Butte area and have land near Enchant.  My Opa moved to Canada in 1959 and settled in the Picture Butte area where he started farming on the same land we farm today.

How many generations has your family been involved in agriculture?  How many are on the farm today or who else in your family do you farm with?
Loman Farms has been around for three generations.  My dad and two of my uncles currently run the farm.  Myself and two of my cousins also help out throughout the year as well.

Why did you choose farming as your career?
I chose farming as my career because as I was growing up on our farm, I came to appreciate what farmers do.  I also enjoy the farm work and working outdoors in the summer.  The idea of continuing and growing our family farm also excites me and makes me want to farm.

What crops/animals do you produce/raise?
We currently grow sugar beets, cereal crops and canola in our rotation.  Our farm also used to raise pigs as well.

How long have you been growing sugar beets and when did you start?
We have been growing sugar beets since my Oma and Opa moved to Canada in 1959.  The first digger used on the farm was a one row Marbeet sugar beet harvester.  Today we use a 12 row Arts Way digger on the farm to harvest all the sugar beets that we grow.

Why do you grow sugar beets?
We grow sugar beets because they are a good addition to our crop rotation, good for disease prevention and they are also good for the farm financially.

What have you done to prepare for helping on the farm?
This Spring I will be finishing the four-year Bachelor of Agriculture Sciences degree program at Lethbridge College and will be starting a job at Vanee Farm Centre in Lethbridge in the GPS department, where I hope to learn about the technological side of farming and hope to bring this knowledge back to the farm.